Chocolate Truffles

For our last hospitality lesson we made chocolate truffles. We got our chewy chocolate slice during this lesson as well since it had been in the fridge overnight. We got a lot of yummy food back in the lesson. We put on aprons and washed our hands when we came in and then got cooking. We first had to place biscuits into a food processor until they were only crumbs. We then put the crumbs into a bowl with cocoa and coconut and mixed it together. Condensed milk was also added so that the mixture could become moist. The mixture had to be rolled into balls next and coated in coconut. They then went into the fridge for the rest of the lesson. The washing up was then done. The truffles were really good and it was a great way to end the year. Sadly we didn't get to make everything in our recipe booklet in hospitality but it has still been a great term of hospitality with a lot of incredible food made with the help of Ms George and Ms Goodchild.

Truffle Mixture

Truffles

Chewy Chocolate Slice

Today we were making chewy chocolate slice and I couldn't wait to make it. When we started the cooking we first had to heat the oven before we made the mixture. Butter, sugar, egg and vanilla were combined in a bowl for the mixture. The flours, cocoa and desiccated coconut were added after that and then stirred together. The mixture had to be spread over the base of a pan so that it could go in the oven. While it was baking we made the icing using icing mixture, cocoa, soft butter and hot water. Once the slice was ready we spread the icing onto it and sprinkled shreded coconut on top. We then did the washing up. Sadly, we couldn't take the chocolate slice home as it had to go into the fridge until our next lesson but I can't wait until we get to try it as it looked delicious.

Chewy Chocolate Slice Mixture

Chocolate Slice in Oven

Iced Chewy Chocolate Slice

Before Slice goes into the Fridge

Tacos

Tacos was the next thing we made in hospitality. I was really excited when we found out we were making tacos as I had seen the ones some other classes had made and they looked really good. This lesson I was working with Jess. We washed our hands and put on aprons as usual before we began the cooking. A lot of ingredients were used to make tacos. We got to make three each. We first preheated the oven and put the taco shells slightly apart on a tray. We heated the tacos for about five minuets. Oil then had to be heated in a pan. Mince and onion was added to the pan next and you had to use a wooden spoon to break up the mince. Chilli powder, garlic, tomato paste, soy sauce and water were all added and combined together in the mince and onion. Once everything was cooked we placed some mince mixture into each taco shell with lettuce, cheese and sour cream. Hospitality was just before lunch so I got to enjoy them straight away. They tasted incredible!

Tacos

Tacos

Muffin Assesment

Today Josie, my partner, was making her muffins for assessment so I was the person who helped her. Josie was making blueberry and chocolate muffins. As soon as everyone came in they washed their hands and put on aprons.We first had to make the basic muffin mix before we added in the blueberries. Everything was mixed and put into patty pans. It then went into the oven. While they were cooking we did the washing up. Josie decorated her muffins by putting half a chocolate caramelo on top as well as melting chocolate on top. They looked really yummy when they were finished. Everyone has now finished making their muffins for assessment so I can't wait to see what we do tomorrow.

Muffin Assesment

For our muffin Assessment I am making raspberry and chocolate muffins. This was the first lesson we started doing the assessment and I was making my muffins. Josie was my partner so while I was making them she would be helping me.
The oven was as usual heated to 180 degrees celcius before we started cooking. I first made the basic muffin mix with self-raising flour, caster sugar, milk, eggs and melted butter although before I put in the milk, egg and butter I added 2 tablespoons of cocoa which was one of the ingredients I asked for. While I was doing this Josie put 12 patty pans onto a muffin pan. After this I added choc chips and mini marshmallows to the mixture. Everything was then mixed together. The raspberry's had to be put in next but I had to make sure I didn't stir them too much or else the raspberry's would break apart. We then put the mixture into the pan. There was left over mixture so we could make 6 more. They then went into the oven. While they were in the oven we did the washing up. After the usual 25 minuets I felt the top of a muffin to see if it was firm and ready. They ready and really good so we took them out. This is when I put one chocolate melt onto each muffin. They melted if you moved them around a bit. One raspberry and one mini marshmallow was then also put on top. Unfortunalely the 6 we made extra didn't have any topping as there were only enough for 12. The last thing we did was sprinkle some icing sugar on top. I then put my muffins into a container that I brought.

They ended up looking and tasting great.
Lucy was making her muffins opposite us and hers looked really nice too. Everybody's muffins turned out well. Next lesson I will be helping Josie make her muffins.

Decorating the muffins

My muffins

A muffin

Planning for Muffin Assesment

For our hospitality assessment we are making muffins. We are given a basic muffin recipe but we have to add ingredients of our choice making it our own unique design. While thinking about what I would do I decided on chocolate and raspberry muffins. Mini marshmallows would also be in the muffins. Melted chocolate, icing sugar, a rapberry and a mini marshmallow will be on the top of the muffin to decorate it. The specific ingrediants I said I wanted were 1 cup of chocolate chips, 1 cup of raspberry's, 1/2 cup of mini marshmallows, 1/2 cup of icing sugar, 2 tablespoons of cocoa and 12 large choc chips. We are not allowed to put icing or cream on top as you have to wait until the muffin is cool to do that and we won't have enough time. I had a look on a website that Ms George recommended we looked at called taste.com and they had a muffin with raspberries in it and I thought it looked like a good idea. I hadn't made a lot of muffins before so I practised making them at home.

Practise Muffins

Raspberry muffin from taste.com



Theory Lesson

In the next lesson I was really looking forward to cooking as we would be making our muffins for assessment but unfortunately we didn't get to as Ms George wasn't there. We went into a classroom instead for theory with another teacher and watched a video about safety in the kitchen.

These were some of the important notes:

• Can't wear trousers that are too long - you can trip
• Must have closed in shoes (if laces-tied up) - hot food could fall on you and burn you
• Hair tied up - doesn't fall in food
• Wash hands thoroughly and wear gloves if necessary - hygiene
• Wear apron - keeps you clean

• Pass knife from handle - can't cut anyone
• Carry knife facing down - if you trip you won't cut anyone
• Don't cut towards yourself - could hurt yourself

• Lift lids of hot pans away from you -  makes sure hot air doesn't go strait into your face
• Stand to the side of an oven when opening it - makes sure hot air doesn't go straight into your face
• Don't leave a cloth or paper near flames - prevents accidents and fires
• Don't put fingers near blades - can cut yourself
• Don't touch electrics when hands are wet - could electrocute yourself

• Cook foods thoroughly - don't want raw food and bacteria
• Clean kitchen as you work - safety
• Use separate chopping boards for meat and vegetables - cross-contamination
• Wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly - hygiene

Some of the golden rules:

• If you knock or spill anything wipe it up
• If you drop anything pick it up
• Don't run in the kitchen